Collapsible wall bracket for hanging clothes



Nov. 15, 1966 A. BAR-GIORA 3,285,423

COLLAPSIBLE WALL BRACKET FOR HANGING CLOTHES Filed April 2, 1965 I I4 1 as l 32 I 40 I l 30 l 34 I l i 44 I 42 l l I2 I l 1 1 w 36 7 {PI 38 l INVENTOR Amnon Bar- Gioro ATTORNEY United States Patent Research Development Company, Jerusalem, Israel, a

company of Israel 1 Filed Apr. 2, 1965, Ser. No. 445,137 4 Claims. (Cl. 2111.3)

The present invention relates to a collapsible wall bracket for handling clothes or other similar garments or articles thereon, and, more particularly, to a collapsible wall bracket which is space saving and decorative at the same time.

Modern apartments are generally small and the rooms, particularly efficiency apartments, serve for living as well as bedrooms. Therefore, in the absence of sufficient closet space, the rooms frequently have an untidy appearance with clothes being disposed on furniture, chairs, etc. In addition, in all homes and apartments, particularly older homes, there is always a need for additional hanging space.

Collapsible wall brackets are known in the prior art, but these are not entirely satisfactory. The devices of the prior art are often unsightly. In addition, these devices are often supported by weak chains or fragile sliding elements of one type or another. Furthermore, such devices are often, particularly if they use sliding members, relatively expensive and easy to jam.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved collapsible wall bracket for supporting garments and the like which obviates the difficulties of the prior art, such as those indicated above.

It is another object of the present invention to provide means for supporting articles which is both space saving and decorative at the same time.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a collapsible wall bracket which is sturdy, strong and effective, and yet is simple and relatively inexpensive to fabricate.

It is another object of the present invention to provide .a collapsible wall bracket which occupies a minimum of space.

These and other objects and the nature and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent in the course of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the figure is a side-view of the device in open operative position.

A collapsible wall bracket for supporting garments and the like is generally shown at and includes essentially three portions, a combined base and container member 12, a cover member 14 and a garment supporting member 16.

The combined base and container member 12 is adapted to be mounted in a substantially vertical position on a suitable supporting surface, such as a wall or a closet door. The combined base and container member 12 comprises a pair of extended side walls illustrated by the side wall 18, as well as a top wall 20 and a bottom wall 22 which joins the two side walls. In addition, and if desired, the base and container 12 may also have a back wall 24. The base and container 12 is hollow and is adapted to receive the garment supporting member 16 therein when the bracket 10 is in its closed or collapsed position.

The cover comprises a cover member 26 attached to the top wall 20 via a hinge 28. While the preferred embodiment shows the hinge attached to the front of the top wall 20, it is understood that through suitable size 3,285,423 Patented Nov. 15, 1966 and selection of components, the hinge may be provided at other locations along the length of the top wall 20 or may even be associated with the side walls, such as 18. When the bracket 10 is not in use, the top or cover 14 is adapted to close the open end of the container 12.

Provided along the length of the cover member 26 at a predetermined distance is a suitable retaining member 30 which extends from the inner or bottom of the surface 32 of the cover element 26. The function of the retaining means 30 is to maintain the garment supporting member 16 in a proper position during use of the bracket 10 [for supporting garments and the like. While the retaining means 30 is here illustrated as a simple stop against which the garment supporting member 16 rests and is retained by gravity, it should be understood that any suitable retaining means such as a hook will suflice.

The garment supporting member 16 includes a rigid extended support board 34 of such a size that it will fit within the box 12 so that the lid 14 may be closed thereon when the wall bracket 10 is collapsed and not in use. The rigid support board '34 is swingably attached at its lower end 36 to the inside of the base and container member 12 via any suitable means such as a shaft 38 passing through the side walls. It will be understood that .any suitable means may be utilized to attach the bottom 36 of the support board 34 to the inside of the container 12, such .as a hinge attached to the inside of the bottom wall 22. As is shown in the figure, the top 40 of the support board 34 is adapted to rest against the stop 30 to dispose the support board at a predetermined position of inclination to the container 12 when the bracket 10 is in operative position.

The garment supporting member 34 further comprises a series of hook-like members 44 extending from the lower surface 42 of the support board 34. As can be readily imagined, hangers may be supported from the hook-like members 44 when the bracket 10 is in its open operative position, as shown in the figure. The weight of the garments in addition to the weight of the support board 34 will urge the support :board 34 against the stop 30 and will maintain the bracket in operative position.

When not in use, the garment supporting member 34 is merely folded into the container 12 and the cover 14 is closed. Preferably, the cover 14 has on its upper outer surface suitable decoration.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore the invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A collapsible wall bracket for supporting garments and the like comprising:

a combined base and container member adapted to be mounted in a substantially vertical position on a supporting surface, said base and container member including two extended side walls .and a top wall and a bottom wall joining said side walls;

a cover for said container member hinge-dly attached to said top wall and adapted to close over said container when said wall bracket is collapsed, said cove-r including retaining means along its length adapted for use when said bracket is open for use; and

a garment supporting member including an extended rigid support board swingably attached at its lower end to the inside of said base and container member in the area of said bottom wall, said support board being of a size to tfit within said container when said cover is closed over said container when said bracket is collapsed, the top of said support board being adapted to rest against said retaining means to dispose said support board at a predetermined position of inclination to said base and container when said bracket is in operative position, said garment supporting member further including a plurality of hook-like members projecting from the lower sunface of said support board when said bracket is in operative position. 2. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said cover is hingedly attached to the [front Otf said top Wall. 3. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said garment supporting member is swingably attached to said side walls adjacent to said bottom wall.

4. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said retaining means comprises a stop.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/ 1958 Sweden.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

W. D. LOULAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A COLLAPSIBLE WALL BRACKET FOR SUPPORTING GARMENTS AND THE LIKE COMPRISING: A COMBINED BASE AND CONTAINER MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED IN A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL POSITION ON A SUPPORTING SURFACE, SAID BASE AND CONTAINER MEMBER INCLUDING TWO EXTENDED SIDE WALLS AND A TOP WALL AND A BOTTOM WALL JOINING SAID SIDE WALLS; A COVER FOR SAID CONTAINER MEMBER HINGEDLY ATTACHED TO SAID TOP WALL AND ADAPTED TO CLOSE OVER SAID CONTAINER WHEN SAID WALL BRACKET IS COLLAPSED, SAID COVER INCLUDING RETAINING MEANS ALONG ITS LENGTH ADAPTED FOR USE WHEN SAID BRACKET IS OPEN FOR USE; AND A GARMENT SUPPORTING MEMBER INCLUDING AN EXTENDED RIGID SUPPORT BOARD SWINGABLE ATTACHED AT ITS LOWER END TO THE INSIDE OF SAID BASE AND CONTAINER MEMBER IN THE AREA OF SAID BOTTOM WALL, SAID SUPPORT BOARD BEING OF A SIZE TO FIT WITHIN SAID CONTAINER WHEN SAID COVER IS CLOSED OVER SAID CONTAINER WHEN SAID BRACKET IS COLLAPSED, THE TOP OF SAID SUPPORT BOARD BEING ADAPTED TO REST AGAINST SAID RETAINING MEANS TO DISPOSE SAID SUPPORT BOARD A PREDETERMINED POSITION OF INCLINATION TO SAID BASE AND CONTAINER WHEN SAID BRACKET IS IN OPERATIVE POSITION, SAID GARMENT SUPPORTING MEMBER FURTHER INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF HOOK-LIKE MEMBERS PROJECTING FROM THE LOWER SURFACE OF SAID SUPPORT BOARD WHEN SAID BRACKET IS IN OPERATIVE POSITION. 